Clothes wringer



ug- 4, 1936, E. D. MISNER 2,050,0l3

CLOTHES WRINGER Filed Feb. 9, 1934 INVENTOR.

5MM a HAS/vm ATTORNEY,

Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES Y2,050,013 `CLOTHES WRINGER Edgar D.l Misner, Detroit, .Mich., assignor to VLovell Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationFebruary 9, .1934, Serial No. '110,394v

11 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes wringers or pressure exerting devices of the type most commonly used by housewives to extract the water from clothing or the like, after the same has lbeen through the process of washing` Clothes'w'ringers of .the type most widely used at the present time yare of heavy wood and iron construction, and when completely assembled are, as a general rule, too heavy for the average housewife to handle without bodily .discomfort resulting from such effort.

It is customary to provide the usual clothes wringer with manually operable screws for vadjusting the distance between the 4wringer rolls, which screws not only require the exertion of considerable strength to operate, but the `proper adjustment of which is difficult for a Vperson not having quite some mechanical experience or aptitude.

The principal object of the present invention is A#to provide a clothes wringer of markedsimplicity and compactnessy of construction of neat and attractive appearance and of even more importance, so much lighter in weight than the common heavy wood wringers'as to'be capable of being handled by the 4housewife without u ndue :physical exertion.

A further object is to provide a lightweight wringer of great strength and durability and in which` the` wringer rolls' automatically vadjust themselves thereby enabling the usual adjusting screws to be eliminated.

Another object vof the y'present invention is to provide a wringerV-iof new and improved .construction in which the pressure of the wringer rolls is eiected-by the employment of `spring steel shaftsv of relatively small cross sectional area to which are vulcanized outerV coverings of soft rubber, theV wringer vrolls being Yassembled in the wringer frame with the spring steel shafts under an initial tension suiiicient to provide an eiective wringing pressure. A Y

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved wringer frameor-housing formed of two identical sheet metal stampings which, when vbolted together, provide not only a gear housing, but a container for the rollers and roller shaft bearings. T

Another object of lmy invention is to provide new and improved -drip aprons, so constructed as to feed material .passing through the wringer rolls towards `the `center of .the wringer. y.

A further object of my invention is to provide new and improved gearing to compensate `for yvariations in diierences between .gear centers Y bearing blocks rigidly in place.

and angular changes in the gears'due to the flexure Vozf. the springsteel wringer roll shafts.v

Anotherobject yof this invention is to provide new and improved iswiveled clamping brackets toV enable the wringer to -be .readily 'attached 'to 5 either straight rsided tubs or tubs with curved sides. Y Y Y The aboveA and other objects of the present invention will appear. morey fully from the following more vdetailed' description and by refer- 10 ence to the'accompanying drawing Yforming a part hereof :and whereinf 1 Fig. 1 is 4a front elevation, Apartly in section, of a wringerV constructed in accordance with the principlesof the present invention; l

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Y i Y Fig.'3 is a vertical section .taken substantially onltheline 3 3 of IFig. 1;

Fig. `i :is `a top Vplan view i-ofl one of the; drip 20 aprons; v

Fig. 5 is'a front elevation"of"fthe wringer i1' lustrating the manner inv which' the :spring 'steel shafts flex to permit. relatively thick articles to pass between the rolls;

Fig. 6 '-is a horizontal Vsection 'taken substantiallyron linegIi--E of Fig. 5; Y

,'Fig. 7 is anenlarged. view showing the manner in which the gearsadjust themselves.

As shown in the vdrawing the wringer iframe is 30 preferably formed of similarv sheet metal ydished stampings I0, I0', having top, bottom and side anges, `the edges of `which contact in abutting relationship when said stampings are assembled to form a smooth exterior :housing :in which Vall of therparts are encased; the members Ill, I0 each Ahaving a central rectangular opening IIIb toexpose the bight of the wringer rolls.

Suitable shaft bearingsi I, preferably formed of oilimpregnated wooden blocks, are housedf within the wringer frame', and :held rigidly therein by -means of the Vframe bolts I2 which Apass through suitable apertures in the frame members I0, I0' rand said bearing Ablocks and are threaded 'on one end-.to-'receive the nuts I3. When the 4nuts I3y are tightened von the bolts I2, the two frame members II), Ill' are clamped together in assembled condition and as the `bolts I2 pass through the bearing blocks I I, vthe tight. ening of the nuts I3 also tends to hold 'these The wringer rolls I4, I4 are composed of soft rubber, vulcanized upon tempered spring steel shafts I5 I5', of such small diameter as to per- I mit vthe .shafts to flex 'and permit relatively thick A55 wring'er is made detachable.

articles to pass between the rolls. The spacing of the bearing holes I6, I6', in the bearing blocks II for the shafts I5, I5', is such that when the rolls and shaftsrare assembled in the frame, the

shafts are placed under an initial tension such as to insure the proper roll pressure.

The use of small spring steel shafts as cores for the rubber rolls which are assembled under an initial tension has marked advantages because it not only enables the proper roll pressure to be secured for thin goods, but as the shafts are sufciently flexible to yield when thicker pieces of material are passed between the rolls; the spring action of the shafts insures an automatic increase of roll pressure directly proportional to the thickness of the material and eliminates the necessity for the use of adjusting screws. simple expedient of employing the small spring steel shafts and a correct spacing of the bearing holes I6, I6 in the bearing blocks I I to construct the wringer so that substantially uniform pressure will always be maintained between the rolls from one'side to the other thereof, and there is no possibility for the housewife to disturb the proper alignment ,of the rolls as with the usual type wringer provided with adjusting screws.

As the rolls are assembled under an initial tension it also becomes possible to simplify the driving gearing as the drive may be effected simplyj by the frictional engagement between the rubber surfaces of the rolls. In order tolighten the physical effort required to rotate the rolls a gear reduction is provided between the driving gear or pinion I1 which is, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, much smaller than the gear I8 with which it meshes and which is non-rotatably secured to the shaft I5 of the upper roll I4. Due to the fact that when thicker materials are run through the Vwringer the spring steel shafts will flex considerably at their central portions, the ends of the shafts I5, I5 will in effect pivot slightly'in their bearings and thereby cause the gears I1, I8 to move into closer meshing engagement.

For the purpose of compensating for this flexural movement of the shafts, the gear I8 is constructed of a plurality of similar gear sections, preferably made of sheet metal stampings, which are non-rotatably mounted on the end of shaft I5 but which are sufficiently loose on the shaft and are free of each other so as to permit the Ateeth of each gear section to align automatically in the most effective driving relationship with the teeth of the pinion gearI I'I. y

YIn order to hold the gear sections I8 on the shaft I5 and also to prevent the outer gear sec` tion from Vrubbing against the inner walls of the frame members IU, `I0",1a Washer I9 is loosely mounted on the boss 20 of pinion gear I1 and so that it overlaps at its periphery the edge of the outer gear section I8. Y

Formed integrally with the driving pinion I'I is a sleeve like extension 20* which extends through the aperture I6 in the journal block II and forms a bearing for said pinion; Vthe roller I5' of l the lower roll I4 being rotatably received in said extension 20", so that the latter serves not only as a journal shaft for the pinion but also as a bearing for one end of the roller shaft I5.

Asit is one of the principal objects of the invention to provide a small Vcompact wringer structure capable of being stored in a small space when not in use whileat the same time capable of heavy duty use, the fcrank handle 2| of the It therefore becomes possible, by the This i5 aGCQm'" plished by providing the boss 20 of the pinion gear II with a pair of bayonet slots 2l)b with which is adapted to engage a pin 22 which extends diametrically across the inner end of the handle and the ends of which project suflciently to lie flush with the outer surface of the boss 20 when the crank handle is engaged therewith.

A pair of drip aprons 23, 23' preferably formed of sheet metal stampings areeach provided at each end with a'small tab or ear 24 adapted to be received within a punched out recess 24 in the sheet metal frame members, each frame member IIJ, I being provided with a pair of such recesses, one at each side of the rectangular opening IDb thereof. 'Ihe apron 23 on the feed-in side of the wringer is provided with a marked concavity, as indicated by the reference character 23h, extending towards the center of the wringer, and said apron also extends downwardly and outwardly to terminate in a concaved edge 23C, this double concavity of the apron serving to place a drag on the material being fed through the rolls and tending to make such material track ytowards 'the center of the wringer as willl be readily understood;`

occurs when material is fed between the rolls, 9

to cause the material, even if inserted between the rolls adjacent the sides of the wringer, to move automatically towards the center thereof. The aprons are preferably provided with side wings 25 which it neatly against the side edges of the rectangular openings of the frame members Yand the bottom of each apron rests on the bottom edge of said opening which, as will be understood, is shaped to conform to the concavity of the apron. When the aprons are assembled in the frame members vthey are firmly held in position by the clamping action of the frame bolts I2 on the frame members which cause the tabs 24, to be clamped tightly between the sides of vtherloearing blocks Il and within the depressions or recesses 24 A pair of clamping brackets 26, are provided to attach the wringer to a laundry tub, washV tub, or the like, and each consists of an inverted U-shaped member having an L-shaped clamp, the upper portion 28 of which is reduced to pass slidably throughV an aperture provided in one leg of the U-member in which is also provided a screw threaded aperture to receive a screw 29 having wing head 3U. The inner end of the wing screw 29-30 is reducedas'at 32 to pass rotatably through a hole in the clamp 21 and is headed over to secure said screw to the clamp. Pads 33 of any suitable'resilie'nt material are secured to the clamp 2'I and to the opposed leg of the U Vbracket to prevent marring the surface of the tub and to insure 'a'v better gripping effect;

In order that the wringer maybe attached with equal facility to a curved wash tub as to a straight laundrytub, the brackets 26 areY swivelly secured to the wringer housing by means of rods 34 which pass rotatably through the openings 35 in the-heads of the lower frame bolts I2, the lower ends of said rods being reduced and riveted to the brackets' 26'. The upper ends of the rods 34 are screw threaded as at 3l to engage within threaded apertures in the heads of the upper frame bolt I2. Y' Y The construction andY arrangement of the brackets 26 not only provides a swiveled contional-.example embodying the principles -of my in-Y f nection of .such brackets thatv permits Athem to be placed at any-'required angular position for;

attachment to tubs. of different size and shape, but also permits the brackets to be detached entirely from the wringer frame .for compactness' The manner in which the parts are vassembled Y will be readily understood, the bearing blocks and gears being placed on the ends of the wringerv roll shafts, the aprons23, 23' .are placed within their respective frame members with. the tabs 24 seated within the Vcorresponding recesses '2'4' in the wringerv frame. The two frames vrare then placed with the edges of .their inwardly turned fiange portions in abutting relationship and the frame bolts l2 .are passed through .the holes in the vframe members and the bearing blocks after which the .nuts vI3 are screwed 4uponV the threaded ends of the boltsandare tightened up, thus causing all of the parts of the wringer *to be securely clamped together.

The Wringer is operated in the' usual Swell known manner, the end of `the crank handle 2l being inserted into the bore of the :boss of lthe pinion gear Ii withth'ezpin "22 of the crank Ithe upper roll which drives the `lowerro-ll by the frictional engagement lbetween vthe peripheries of the rubber coatings of the rolls. Due to the fact that the .spring steel shafts yofthe rolls are placedunder anl initial tension when the rollsy are assembled in the frames, sufficiently tight frictional engagement between the rubber coatngs of the rollers is present to insure that the lower roll will be .driven by the rotation of the upper roll. There being no adjusting screws, substantially uniform pressure across the entire width of the rolls will always be preserved. `f-fhen relatively heavy materials are fed between the rolls, the flexibility of the spring steel shafts will permit such shafts and the rubber :oatings thereon, to spread apart to permit the passage of such heavy materials. For the purpose of preventing any binding of the ends of the spring steel shafts inthe bearing blocks, the upper bearing i6 of each block is made elongated to compensate for the exing of the shafts when the material is fed through the rolls. Other adrintages of the construction, such as the functioning of the aprons 23 and the cambering of he rolls and shafts thereof to cause goods passing through the wringer rolls to automatically track towards the center, and the arrangement and construction of the gear I8 to compensate for flexing of the roller shafts, have been heretofore discussed.

The construction of the wringer frame of sheet steel stampings, with the edges of the stampings arranged and tightly clamped in close abutting relationship, results in obtaining a structure of particularly neat and attractive appearance. The stampings may be enameled and decorated in attractive colors and a smooth surface obtained that can be very quickly and readily cleaned. All of the working parts are completely enclosed within their outer casing.

While I have described a satisfactory construc- Vention, itwill be understood that many changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to Without departing .fromsuch principles.v

I claim:

.1..- .In a 'wringen aframea pair of wringer rolls., each hating a central tempered cylindrical :spring steel shaft and a .yielding coating secured thereto, said rolls 'being assembled with said shafts into the frame under an initial tension, .the cross sectional area of saidshafts being .restricted so as to impar-t sufficient 'flexi-A bility to said Shafts to permit the wringer rolls to spread and thereby allow 'heavyv materials to pass therebetween, the inherent elasticity of said shafts and the initial tensioning thereof providing a roll ,pressure automatically proportioned` in .accordance Ywith the thickness of the material. passed between 'said rolls.

2. In a 'wringen a vpair of wringer rolls, a frame comprising a pair of Vsimilar sheet metal members each having a peripheral flange, theV edges of said flanges being adapted to engage in aligned .abutting Vrelationship when assembled to' form a smooth exterior housing, said housing ait each end having a bearing compartment, bearing' blocks in each of vsaid :compartments having a pair .of fixed bearings for 'the .reception of the ends of the wringer roll shafts and means -for securing said' frame members and bearing `blocks in assembled condition comprising frame bolts `which pass through said bearing blocks and frame members.

.3. In a wringer, a pair of wringer rolls, a frame comprising a pair of frame ymembers having :a .li-ne of separation vertically Y and lengthwise of the frame, and each'having a centrally located opening therein to expose.l the bight fof said. rolls, means for clamping said frame members .in assembled condition to form a housing in which said wringer rolls are received, a pair of bearing blocks completely enclosed within said housing and means for clamping said frame members and bearing blocks in fixed assembled position comprising the clamping bolts extending from front to rear of the wringer,'a pair of drip aprons, each being provided with a pair of laterally projecting portions adapted to extend through said openings into the interior of said housing and to be clamped between said frame members and bearing blocks to hold said drip aprons securely in position.

4. In a wringer, a pair of wringer rolls each having a tempered flexible cylindrical spring steel shaft with a yielding coating secured thereto, Va frame comprising a pair of sheet metal sections, which, when assembled, form a housing having bearing compartments at each end thereof, a bearing block mounted in each bearing compartment and having a pair of xed bearings for the ends of the wringer shafts, the spacing between the pairs of each block being such as to place an initial tension upon said spring steel shafts when said rolls are assembled in said blocks and frame whereby said shafts will normally extend in slightly cambered relationship, and a feeding apron secured in said frame having a concaved upper face and a concaved forward edge, the camber of said rolls and the concavities of said feeding apron co-operating to cause materials fed through said rolls to track towards the center of the wringer.

5. In a wringer, a pair of wringer rolls, each having a centrally tempered flexible spring steel driven gear consisting of a plurality of thin gear members unsecured to each Yother but vnonrotatably secured to one of said roll .shafts whereby relative movement between said gearv members may occur to compensate for exure of .said spring steelshafts.

6. In a wringer, a pair of wringer rolls, each vcomprising a central flexible tempered spring steel shaft, each of said shafts having a yielding coating secured thereto, means for placing said shafts under an initial tension when they are assembled in said wringer with the coatings thereof in tight frictional engagement, thereby to provide a wringing pressure, a driving pinion having a sleeve-like portion to provide a bearing for one end of one of said shafts, a driven gear in meshing engagement with said pinion and non-rotatably secured to -the other of said shafts, and means for rotating said pinion and* gear to drive said other shaft, the rotation of said wringer rolls being effected .by the frictional engagement between the coatings of said rolls. 7. A wringer, as set forth in claim 6, in which said pinion is provided with a hollow boss having a pair of bayonet slots therein and a handle adapted to be detachably received Vwithin said boss, said handle being provided with means for engagement with said bayonet slots. 8. A wringer, as set forth in claim 6, in which said driving gear consists of a plurality of gear laminations non-rotatably secured to one of the wringer shafts but unsecured to each other.

9. Ina wringer, a pair of wringer rolls, a sectional metal frame, bearings for said wringer rollsfand headed Vbolts for clamping said frame sections and bearings in assembled condition, and means for clamping said wringer to a tub comprising a pair of clamping brackets rotatably but detachably secured to the heads of said frame bolts whereby said brackets may be adjusted to different angular Vpositions relative to said wringer for permitting the same to be attached to tubs ofV different contour and for permitting said clamping brackets to be entirely disengaged from the wringer for convenience in shipping and storing.

10. In a wringer, a pair of wringer rolls, a plurality of metal frame sections, bearings for said wringer rolls and bolts for clamping said frame and bearings in assembled condition, said bolts being Vprovided with enlarged portions projecting outwardly beyond the frame, said portions being provided with vertically aligned apertures and means for securing said wringer to a supportingstructure comprising rods rotatably secured in said' aligned openings and clamping devices secured to the lower ends of said rods.

l1. In a wringer, a frame, a pair of wringer rolls mounted therein, means for detachably securing said wringer to a supporting structure comprising two pairs of extensions projecting from one side face of said frameythe members ofV each pair of extensions being located in vertical alignment and being provided with vertically aligned apertures, one of said apertures being'threaded, a vertically extending rod having a portion thereof threaded for engagement with the threaded-aperture, rotatably received in each pair of extensions and clamping devices secured to the lower end of said rod.

' EDGAR D. MISNER. 

